Love and Obligation
by Pareathe
Summary: The Shikon no Tama has been fully restored, Naraku has been defeated, and Kagome has returned to her time. With the Jewel now in InuYasha's possession, he must finally decide what, and more importantly who, he really wants. Four-letter D and H word warn
1. Part One

**Love and Obligation**

By Pareathe 

A/N: Wow...never thought I'd see the day when I'd be back here on FF.net...

At any rate, since people haven't been able to find me since leaving, I'm posting this sweet, non-hentai InuYasha fic I wrote up not too long ago. I hope you guys enjoy, and for those who haven't been able to find me when they do a search, this should fix it right up. ^_^ No joke, I really didn't drop off the face of the Earth...yeah, I know that's infinitely disappointing to some, but... *shrugs*

  
  


_Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, InuYasha and its characters belong to Takahashi-sensei and not me so please don't sue_

_Special thanks to FloralBlackMoon and EmberMaxximus for beta-ing_

**Part One**

It was finally over. 

How long had it been? A year? Fifty? More than that? Hell, he couldn't even keep track any longer. After a while it had become a blur, all the fighting and chasing and running and dodging and more fighting... 

He was tired, and for a man who was half demon, that was saying something. The chase for the scattered pieces of the Shikon no Tama had taken its toll on his body, mind, and spirit. But most of all, it had done a major number on his once impenetrable heart. 

When did things get so screwed up? He knew on the surface things were supposedly back to normal. Miroku and Sango were just waiting on him to decide what he would do. If he chose to stay and wander aimlessly, they'd already agreed to join him; if he chose to follow Kikyo into death, they planned to work as a pair, exterminating vicious youkai and battling spirits which refused to rest peacefully. Plus they'd already promised to care for Shippo. 

Then there was option three, one he never thought he'd consider again. Not after the first time. 

Become human. Not youkai, risking his soul and everything he cherished, but a normal, weak human. Well, that, and one last trip through the Bone-Eater Well. 

To Kagome. 

He let his fingers run over the smooth surface, amazed once again that the damned thing was a perfect as ever. There was no sign it had ever been broken into a million little pieces and spread all over the place, no evidence whatsoever of everything he and his comrades had endured to get the thing back. It was almost like it was mocking him, just by being whole. 

He could feel its power, could even sense the ongoing war within the stone. Good versus evil, battling beneath the flawless exterior, both vying for his will. 

He would only use it once. He'd already decided that much. But what did he really want? It was a thought which had plagued him more and more as time had gone on. Did he really want to become a full-fledged demon? Was he really ready to die, just to satisfy his conscience? 

For the fiftieth time that day, he wished Kagome was there. He seemed to think better when she was next to him. 

_But she's not here, _he reminded himself. 

And now that the Tama was whole once again, she couldn't come back. 

He smelled the woman coming, heard the lumbering footsteps before they stopped beside him. 

"You haven't made your wish yet?" Kaede asked. 

_Nosy woman_. "You want to get rid of me, eh?" 

She shrugged, then sat down. "No, I've gotten used to you. You're welcome to stay as long as you want," she replied. "You look like you could use someone to talk to." 

"You think so, huh?" 

"I do." She watched him carefully with her good eye, patiently waiting as she always did. She let the moments pass in silence. "Perhaps you wish to be alone," she muttered after a while. "In that case," she began as she worked to heft herself up. 

"What should I do?" he asked suddenly, his eyes locked at a point in the distance. 

Kaede sighed, situating herself comfortably once again. "That's for you to decide, Inuyasha. You're the only one who knows what's in your heart. The only advice I can offer is that you listen to it very carefully, then follow what it tells you." 

It was easy for her to say. Her heart wasn't being pulled in two different directions. Sure, it had been easy to say the decision was made back when he didn't have the power to make it yet. Those days seemed so far off now. He'd been Kikyo's avenger and Kagome's protector, but because of him, Kikyo had suffered. So had Kagome. So had everyone else he'd taken along with him. Who the hell was he to command the power of the Shikon no Tama? As far as he could tell, he'd brought nothing but misery to everyone. 

Despite that, Kagome had given it to him. No warnings, no pleas. She'd simply placed it in his palm, closed his fingers around it, covering them with hers, and told him to be happy. 

"Kagome trusts you to do what's best," Kaede mentioned, making Inuyasha jerk his head up to meet her knowing gaze. "She wouldn't have given you the Shikon no Tama otherwise." 

"Why didn't she just keep it," he snapped angrily. 

The old woman chuckled throatily. "I thought you wanted it." 

"Of course I did. It's just..." He closed his eyes, sighing when all he could make himself see was Kagome's face when she'd said goodbye. Wide eyes shining with tears she wouldn't let herself shed in front of him and a small, sad smile. 

It all seemed so...final. But wasn't it supposed to be? They'd never see each other again, and she'd obviously accepted that fact. So why couldn't he do the same? 

He knew why. "I don't know what I want anymore," he admitted in a growl. 

"Well, in that case," Kaede stated as she stood back up, "perhaps you should stay here until you've figured it out. And I meant what I said," she added. "You're welcome in this village now." 

Inuyasha's lip twitched upward, ever so slightly. "You sure you want a hanyou holding the sacred Shikon jewel in your village? I damn near tore the whole town up last time." 

Kaede patted him on the shoulder and grinned. "That was a long time ago. You've changed a great deal since then, Inuyasha." The smile faded, leaving Kaede's gaze to become serious. "Remember that too. Remember it well." 

He gave her a stiff nod. Thinking it all through was the least he could do; he owed them that much. 

Once Inuyasha was alone once again, he tried to clear his mind and focus his thoughts. For the first time in his life, he wanted to do what was best. For everyone, not just himself. He let himself wonder for a moment whether things had just become so complicated, or if they'd been this way all along, and he'd been too blind to see it. 

He was pretty sure he knew the answer to that one. 

He wasn't getting anywhere, and patience had never been his strong suit. "Damn it, how am I supposed to know what to do?" he hissed softly. "Kagome was the thinker, not me." 

He jumped to his feet, frustrated and wanting nothing more than to fight something at the moment, so he started walking toward the forest. He let his mind wander aimlessly as his feet carried him deeper into the woods without any particular direction in mind. Still, he wasn't surprised when he found himself at the well. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd been there since Kagome had left him. 

_Is that what's bothering me? That Kagome left me here, alone?_

He wasn't alone, of course, but it sure as hell felt that way, now that she was gone. 

He sat down on the edge and let his feet dangle down. He knew he couldn't get through anymore; he'd already tried. He wondered where she was at that moment. Was she back at school, taking one of those damned tests she always griped about? Or was she at home, sitting at the small desk in her room? Was she thinking about him at all? 

He cursed, squeezing his eyes shut as his fingers found the beads hanging around his neck. Kaede had offered to remove them, but he'd told her he'd gotten used to them, that his balance would be off now if he didn't have them on. Thankfully, she didn't mention how weak of an excuse it was. She'd simply nodded and left him alone. 

The truth was that they reminded him of Kagome, and he wasn't ready to lose that. Not now, probably not ever. 

He shouldn't even be here. He should be back at the village, waiting for Kikyo to come for him. Sure, he cared about Kagome, but he had a responsibility to Kikyo. Didn't he? 

"C'mon, Kagome, help me out here," he pleaded to the empty shaft below. "What should I do?" 

*~*To Be Continued*~* 


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

_Inuyasha? _

Kagome's head snapped up, and her heart thundered wildly in her chest. Her eyes moved frantically around the room, looking for any sign of the voice she thought she'd heard. 

It took several minutes of searching-the closet, the hallway, and out the window-for her to realize she must've imagined it. Perhaps she'd dozed off while trying to study. She was exhausted, after all. Since coming back to her time, she'd been doing little aside from catching up on all the schoolwork she'd missed during the continuous string of 'illnesses' which had kept her out of school while she gallivanted around feudal Japan.

For the millionth time, Kagome wished she hadn't left. She missed her friends, and she missed Inuyasha. She missed him more than she'd ever imagined.

_Maybe I should've stayed. I mean, what if he's lonely?_

She shook her head. No, that was silly. He had Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. They wouldn't leave him, she knew. And he had Kikyo.

She made herself take a deep breath to ward off the sudden tightness in her throat and moisture building in the corners of her eyes. Yes, Inuyasha had Kikyo, would be with her forever if she had her way about it. Considering she'd been gone nearly a week, he may already have given his soul over to her, just so they could be together. 

She'd wanted to beg him not to, but she'd also known better than anyone why he felt he had to. Even after everything she'd done and said, he loved Kikyo. 

If her heart hadn't been breaking with longing for him, it would've probably seemed extremely romantic. Under the circumstances, though, it was anything but. In fact, the idea of a woman who so desperately clung to her hatred and need for revenge, stealing souls of the dead just to remain among the living until she could drag Inuyasha into hell with her, royally pissed Kagome off.

It wasn't fair. Kikyo wanted to capture Inuyasha's spirit, and trap him forever. Sure, she'd claimed to love him, but she'd also admitted that she loved her hatred of him; it gave her power over him. But Kagome wanted Inuyasha to live, and be happy with his life. She wanted to see him find the inner peace he'd desperately looked for. Even if it meant losing him, she would've been willing to let him go, if he'd wanted it. 

_That's the difference between us, _Kagome mused. _She loves to hate him, but I just want to love him.._

Of course, he'd made his decision many months ago. The memory of that night was still vivid in Kagome's mind, the chilling image of Kikyo in Inuyasha's arms as he declared he'd always protect her. He hadn't know she was hiding behind a tree only a few feet away, but when she'd stepped out...well, it was the first time he hadn't looked away in embarrassment after being caught with Kikyo. 

That's when she'd known his mind was made up. She hated it, hated Kikyo for a while too, but it was something she'd forced herself to accept. 

Partially, because it wasn't her decision to make, and partially because she'd hoped to change his mind over time. It had been a longshot, but she'd been willing to take the chance, just on the remote possibility that he would realize how different her feelings for him were, compared to Kikyo's. 

She'd known she couldn't compete with his dead first love. She'd been murdered by Naraku in Inuyasha's form all those years ago, just as Inuyasha had been attacked by the same youkai in Kikyo's form, all so the Shikon no Tama would be corrupted. And he blamed himself for her premature death.

Kagome knew Naraku was the one to blame for all of it-Inuyasha's confusion, Kikyo's animosity, and her own heartache. And yet, even though Naraku was gone, it still didn't feel like justice had been done; the good guys were still paying the price for that bastard's deceit. What was fair about that?

_There's no reason to dwell on this,_ her conscience scolded._ I couldn't be selfish about it. Inuyasha loves Kikyo; I had no right to get in the way of his happiness._

Sure, she knew she'd done the right thing from a moral standpoint, but it didn't stop her heart from aching any less, knowing she'd basically handed Inuyasha over to Kikyo-a woman who hated him as much as she loved him-without a fight.

She found herself going over their last conversation in her mind once again, looking for anything she should have done differently. Anything at all that would have changed things between them...

***

_"What're you doing out here?" Inuyasha piped up as he entered the small clearing where the well sat, and where Kagome was standing next to it. "Everybody's looking for you."_

_Kagome shrugged, though her eyes never left the Shikon no Tama, hanging from a long chain around her neck once again, just as it had when she'd first received it from Kaede. "Just thinking, I guess."_

_"Feh, you think too much," he scoffed as he took his usual place at her side. "C'mon, we beat Naraku Miroku doesn't have to worry about disappearing, Sango's got her brother back, and the Jewel's in one piece again"_

_"Yeah, everything's back to the way it should be. It looks like we really did it," she replied softly._

_Inuyasha let out and exasperated growl. "So what the hell's your problem? Instead of being happy, you look like somebody died"_

_"I guess I'm just wondering, what now?"_

  


_He blinked a few times, a confounded look on his face. "What do you men, what now? What else is there? We did our part."_

_She nodded. "All that's left is...for me to go back to my world, right? Then everything will be like it was before I came here."_

_"Um...well, I don't know about all that, but..." Inuyasha stopped suddenly and scowled. "Wait a minute. You're making out like we're never gonna see you again or something. As long as you have the jewel-"_

_"I've already decided. I'm not taking it with me," Kagome whispered._

_He stared at her for a few minutes, looking for any sign she was putting him on, but he found none. "What are you talking about? I mean...who's gonna guard the thing?"_

_"You will."_

_"Me?" He shook his head. "No way. That damned thing's already caused enough trouble. I don't plan on protecting it anymore."_

_She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before taking his hand into one of her own. He opened his mouth to protest, but fell silent when she finally let her gaze meet his. With her free hand, she took the jewel from around her neck and placed it in his palm, closing his fingers around it as he watched her in disbelief._

_"You don't have to protect it. I'm giving it to you, so you can use it," she explained._

_"You're serious," he breathed._

_She nodded. "I know how badly you wanted it."_

_"Well...yeah, but-" He fell silent, frowning thoughtfully for several minutes. "Why?" he asked suddenly. "You've never been too thrilled with the idea of me becoming all demon, and you and I both know Kikyo won't let me use the jewel to revive her. So why are you giving it to me?_"

_"I want you to live and be happy, Inuyasha. If the jewel can give you what you want, then you're the one who should have it." Kagome sniffled and cleared her throat. "I know the only thing left for you to do is settle things with Kikyo..."_

_She bowed her head, commanding her body to ignore how badly she wanted to grab onto him and never let go._

_"Ka-Kagome...?"_

_"I already said my goodbyes to everyone this morning," she stated, her words rushed and jumbled so he wouldn't see her cry, "but you were gone, so-"_

_"You already...what? Hey, wait a minute!" Inuyasha interrupted. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her forward until they were nose to nose, with every intention of finding out exactly what she meant, but the expression on her face was all the answer he needed._

_She knew she couldn't hold out much longer. "Thank you for keeping me safe while I was here," she managed, despite the fact her throat was painfully tight, "and for letting me stay with you." She smiled sadly. "I'll never forget you, Inuyasha. Take care of yourself." _

_Before he could say anything else, she jerked away from him and leapt into the well, mentally begging him to forgive her just as the first tear escaped down her cheek. She squeezed her eyes shut when he called out to her, and she refused to look back when she heard him jump in after her. Part of her wished, once she was back on solid ground again on her side of the gateway, he'd land right next to her, mad as hell at her for trying to run away. But she'd known before she'd left, it wouldn't turn out that way. _

_Alone and in the dark, she stayed for what seemed like hours at the bottom of the shaft in her own time, unable to do anything except drop her head in her hands and sob uncontrollably._

_***_

Kagome gasped shakily and wiped her moist eyes roughly with the back of her hand, pushing the agonizing memories aside. She knew she'd never forget the way he'd looked at her before she left, or the sound of his choked, panicked cries, which followed her even as she vanished from his world. 

Still, she'd done the right thing. She had to believe that.

"But if it was really the right thing to do," she muttered to herself, "why does it feel so wrong?"

  
  


*~*~*~*


	3. Part Three

A/N: Beware the spoiler for episode 98...if you haven't seen it, sorry! I'll leave the rest of my comments for the end of the chapter. 

**Part Three**

He'd wandered around the village for three days, and he was no closer to resolving the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings bombarding his mind than he'd been the day Kagome had left him. He hated it-the confusion, then the guilt for not having made a decision yet, followed soon after by anger at himself for wallowing in self-pity and not accomplishing anything. 

Sure, he knew he was welcome in Kaede's village for as long as he wanted, just as she'd promised, but he didn't belong there. Then there was his remaining companions, with whom he'd shared so much...the few people who really understood and accepted him. Their journey was going to continue at some point, but even though they were his only true friends, his path wasn't with them either.

There were only two options for him. Either he would spend eternity with Kikyo, or he'd find his way back to Kagome. 

He knew Kikyo would be coming for him soon; he'd seen the soul snatchers circling within the forest every night, though she had yet to make an appearance herself. For that, he was grateful. He wasn't sure why, but she seemed to be giving him whatever time he needed, letting her pets serve as messengers so he'd be aware she was nearby, waiting without intruding.

Still, every time he thought about it, he found himself facing the same dilemma. No matter how badly he wanted to see Kagome again, he'd given his word to Kikyo. She'd died because of him. If they'd never met, she wouldn't have lost her life that day, or been resurrected and forced to wander while living off the souls of the dead fifty years later. Any way he tried to rationalize it, his life belonged to her, to do with as she wished. It seemed that was their fate, after all.

_Maybe it'd be different if Kagome was still here...but she's not. So what am I stalling for?_

It wasn't like she'd stuck around to stop him, right? If she'd wanted to do that, all she'd have had to do was stay, then 'sit' him into oblivion...it wouldn't have been the first time. So...maybe it was her way of telling him she knew what he had to do-maybe even better than he himself-and had never intended to stand in the way.

So she'd know all along...

_That figures...wish she'd have let _me_ in on it._

But he had to admit...if that was really the case, if Kagome really did leave because of his promise to Kikyo, then it was almost as if she was letting him know it was okay. The thought was oddly comforting, albeit irritating as hell, and it was the last push he needed to finally make up his mind. She'd stayed with him till the very end, even though she knew how it would turn out once their job was done. She'd even given him the jewel...he had to believe she had her reasons, at least one better than just because it's what he'd been after in the beginning.

_Well, now that I've got that figured out, I guess there's only one thing left to do..._

He jumped off Kaede's roof, landing softly in front of the door, and walked in. Every head including Kirara's lifted and turned toward him, and after a moment, Miroku stood.

"So the time has come," he stated as the rest of the group followed his lead.

Inuyasha said nothing, affirming the monk's words with a stiff nod instead.

"But...but..."Shippo cut in before jumping onto Inuyasha's shoulder and throwing his short arms around the hanyou's neck, "why do you have to go?" he wailed, crocodile tears showering them both. "Come with us. I promise, I won't make fun of you anymore! You can scream and hit me all you want...just don't leave!" 

For the first time ever, Inuyasha had no desire to clock the annoying little fox. Instead, he closed his eyes and let the little demon sob into his hair while Kirara jumped up onto the other shoulder, nuzzling his cheek affectionately. They stayed like that for several minute before Sango finally pulled the child away, and the cat jumped to her, letting Shippo hold her as his tears slowed to sniffles and hiccups.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Inuyasha? We really would like to have you come with us," Sango said, though the wetness in the corner of her own eyes confirmed her understanding of his decision. 

Miroku stepped forward. "It would be safer with you acting as protection, since, because of you, I no longer have my best weapon." To punctuate his point, he opened his now bare right hand. 

Inuyasha snorted half-heartedly. "See if I ever help you again."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Really, you have no right to complain, Houshi-sama," she huffed. "It's me you're always grabbing with that hand now!"

As Miroku chuckled and Sango ranted, Inuyasha watched the familiar scene for the last time. No matter how much their back-and-forth had gotten on his nerves in the past, he was going to miss it. He was going to miss _them_. They'd been his first and only real friends...his family. He was going to miss the hell out of each and every one of them.

He had to leave, before he changed his mind. It seemed like the group recognized the time to part was imminent, and they all became quiet again. 

Miroku made the first move, clasping Inuyasha firmly on the shoulder. "We will miss you, my friend."

Once he backed away, Sango came forward. "Because of you and Kagome-chan, my family was avenged. I can never repay you for that." She smiled and bowed deeply, still cradling Shippo in her arms. "Thank you."

The fox youkai went next, giving him another hug before jumping away, his tears flowing freely once again. Kirara offered a similar farewell, giving his neck a squeeze with her tails.

Inuyasha swallowed and scowled; he'd never been good with mushy stuff, and he was beginning to envy Kagome and her quick getaway. There was no doubt; goodbyes sucked.

His eyes shifted to the corner where Kaede stood silently. "I guess this is it."

"Yes it is," she replied softly. "It will be quiet without you causing trouble."

"Hmph, thanks a lot."

Her lips betrayed a minute smile before her expression became solemn. "I pray you will set my sister's soul free, so she may rest in peace once again."

He didn't move, though the look in his golden eyes was declaration enough; she knew he would do it.

With nothing left to say or do, he gave the group a small salute and left the hut, his gaze firmly set on the soul-snatchers circling among the treetops in the distance.

*~*~*~*

Kagome set her bookbag beside her desk and plopped down, oblivious to the chatter of her classmates as they slowly filed into the room and took their seats around her. Her mind was focused on the dream she'd had the night before, and though the details were slowly fading, something told her it was important...

Whatever it was, she'd woken up happier than she'd felt since leaving Inuyasha and her friends in the past. Of course, she couldn't remember _why_. All she could recall now was a flash of the Shikon no Tama in someone's hand, then a blinding light. Whatever it had been, the image had relieved her, _excited_ her, for whatever reason.

_I wish I could remember...it'd be nice to have something to be happy about._

She rested her head in her hand as the remaining students shuffled in, though she was roused a moment later by her friends.

"Kagome-chan, did you hear?"

She shook her head; for the first time, she couldn't care less about the latest gossip.

"There's a new boy in Hojo-kun's class" Ayame squealed.

"All the girls are talking about him...he's supposed to be _really _cute."

"Oh, he _is_ I saw him when he came in this morning and started talking to Hojo-kun."

Kagome sighed inwardly, but put on a polite smile for her friends' benefits. "Sounds like he'll be really popular."

"Oh yeah He looks so cool Like some kind of rock star"

"That's just because of his hair."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "His hair?"

"Yeah, it's long...and I mean _really _long He doesn't even have it in a ponytail or anything."

"But isn't it against the rules for boys to have hair over their collars?" she asked, her curiosity piqued, despite her mood.

"Sure it is, but Kyoko-chan's on the student council, and she told me when he was told he'd have to cut it, he said he couldn't yet."

"Why wouldn't he be able to cut his hair?"

"Kyoko-chan said it was weird-something about looking for someone, and them being able to recognize him. Whatever it was, he managed to convince the principal to let him keep it long."

Kagome blinked. Talking the principal into _anything_ was a feat in and of itself, but to persuade the woman to let him blatantly disregard school policy? This new guy was definitely something else if he'd managed that.

"Yeah, like I said, he's totally cool Actually, it's funny, because he's just like how I pictured Kagome-chan's old boyfriend looked like when she told us about him."

Kagome's head snapped up at that remark, but the group of four were interrupted by the teacher. She forced her mind away from the memories and onto her lesson as he began roll call, realizing a minute later she'd forgotten to ask what the new boy's name was. 

_Oh well, if he's hanging around Hojo-kun, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough._

*~*~*~*

"You came."

"Yeah, but you knew I would, didn't you?" Inuyasha replied, jerking his thumb toward the grey apparitions still circling above their heads.

"No." Kikyo looked toward the sky with a thin smile on her lips. "I wasn't sure if you would keep your word or not."

His anger flared; after everything he'd done for her, she still doubted him? "Well now you know," he growled, ready to go ahead and get it over with...whatever 'it' was.

She remained quiet for a moment, her eyes fixed on the tree she'd sealed him on over fifty years earlier. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she murmured as he walked up behind her. "We both died here once already. It seemed appropriate to return to this place."

"Then again," she continued, turning her head to rest her disinterested gaze on him, "this is also where you met _her_, isn't it?"

His ears twitched, the only outward sign her words had struck a nerve. The tone of her voice combined with the look in her eyes, however, sent a chill down his spine. It was another grim reminder of what Kikyo really was as opposed to what she had been half a century earlier.

The woman stared at him for a while before speaking again. "Does it make you angry when I talk about her, Inuyasha? Or does it hurt so much, you simply don't wish to think about her at all?"

He had no idea what game she was playing, but enough was enough. "It doesn't matter. Kagome doesn't have anything to do with this."

"Kagome..." she repeated softly, her eyes losing their edge, confusing Inuyasha even further. "She has a great deal to do with this," she went on. "If she had not left willingly, I don't think you would be here now. I believe...she knew this to be true, and that is why she is gone."

"Hell if I know," he snapped. "I made my decision a long time ago, so she was probably just going along with it."

Kikyo's sudden laughter caught him off-guard, and he blinked several times at the miko's atypical actions. She stopped after a while, and once she'd taken a breath, all he could do was gape at her soft, almost whimsical expression.

"Did she ever tell you about how she saved my life?"

Inuyasha's head jerked back; it was the first he'd heard of anything like that.

Kikyo could tell as much by the look on his face, and she nodded. "I believe she said the two of you had been fighting, which is why she was wandering alone in a forest well to the north of here while we were still searching for traces of Naraku."

His eyes widened as it hit him. They'd only traveled that way once, and it wasn't hard to forget the fight she was referring to-Kagome had used that damned word of hers nearly ten times in rapid succession after he'd insulted her cooking. Then she'd said she was going for a walk and disappeared for several hours. Even when he'd searched the woods, he couldn't find her anywhere. He'd been waiting just along the edge, trying to figure out where to look next when she'd reappeared as though nothing had happened. She never volunteered an explanation for her absence or why he hadn't been able to track her down by her scent, and since he'd been so relieved to see her in one piece, he'd forgotten to ask.

"She found me in the mouth of what she thought was a cave, but was actually the trap of a youkai who feeds on the spiritual powers of mikos," she recalled, speaking as much to herself as she was to Inuyasha. "I had already become very weak, and I was barely able to stand. She knew I'm already dead, so she could have left me behind."

She glanced over to Inuyasha, and found she had his complete and undivided attention.

"I told her to leave me and save herself, but she refused. Even when I could no longer walk, she carried me on her back," she went on, her eyes becoming distant. "She told me, when I asked why she was helping me, if I were to die, someone would be very sad."

"Yeah, well...that's how Kagome is," Inuyasha mumbled, dropping his gaze to the ground. "She doesn't know when to give up, and she can't help herself when someone's in trouble. She's too stubborn to realize some of the stuff she did could've gotten her killed."

Kikyo shook her head. "I think you underestimated her," she replied. "She is supposed to be a reincarnation of me, but her powers are far greater than mine have ever been. Her only weakness was allowing her emotions to dictate her actions." She smirked at Inuyasha when he looked back up. "You don't appear surprised to hear this."

Inuyasha shrugged indifferently, despite the fact everything within him was feeling otherwise. "Other than how she looks, I never thought she was anything like you anyway."

"I suppose not. After all, you were able to open up to her...to trust her...within only a few weeks, am I right?"

He clenched his jaw shut and would not answer, unwilling to risk the painful tightness in his throat giving away just how true her words were.

"And I believe," she continued, "you fell in love with her at that time."

"Just drop it," Inuyasha cut in irritably. It was hard enough to deal with Kagome's departure. He wasn't about to get into their relationship with anyone, especially not Kikyo. "It doesn't matter anymore. I gave my word; my life belongs to you, so let's get on with it."

She regarded him coldly. "Perhaps my spirit's need for revenge would be better satisfied if I allowed you to live out your days, heartbroken and alone, rather than die here."

A burst of rage made his vision go red for a moment. "Well that's too damned bad, isn't it, seeing as how _I'm_ the one with the jewel," he seethed, rolling the stone in the palm of his hand easily within her line of sight.

"If that's so, then use it," she challenged.

"I...I will" he snapped defensively, stalling for time. "I just have to figure out how to do this..."

A strange expression crossed over Kikyo's pale features, something between a sorrowful smile and a look a defeat. "You do realize you must not only give me your mortal life, but also your human soul as well." 

"What?"

"You see," she went on, "according to your promise, our souls must be bound together so they can never be separated. It is the only way to ensure you will remain with me, even in death...and in rebirth."

Inuyasha wasn't sure how long he stared at her in utter disbelief once the meaning of her words actually sunk in. She wanted to take him with her to the realm of the dead with a bond strong enough to cleave him to her for eternity, so that even when she was reborn, he would be given a new life as well. And if that were true, then it was inevitable; he'd be reincarnated hundreds of years in the future just as she had been, into a world full of tall buildings of stone and glass, noisy metal contraptions called cars, grocery stores with shelves of potato chips and cup noodles, and schools that gave tests all the time...

"You...you mean..." he stammered, words failing him entirely after a moment.

"Close your eyes, Inuyasha," Kikyo commanded before wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in the hollow of his neck, "and fulfill your duty to me."

He squeezed them shut, his mind's eye immediately filled with the image of Kagome's face.

_Please...with whatever power you've got, let us die right here, and bind our spirits together so when Kikyo comes back into the world as Kagome, I'll be a part of her world. I'll wait however long it takes...I'll find Kagome, no matter what. Please...that's what I want...that's all I want..._

He held his breath, seconds turned into minutes, and he continued to repeat the same wish in his head over and over and over again. Then something did happen. The Shikon no Tama warmed in his hand and a glowing pearl-white light began to shine from it. Before he had time to be surprised, the light became blinding. The heat radiating from the jewel began to spread-to his fingers, then his hands, then his arms-until his entire body felt like it was bathed in the summer sun, but then it seemed almost like he was part of the warmth, as though he were the light itself.

As quickly as it had begun, the infamous Jewel of Four Souls vanished and the light blinked out, the only evidence of anything happening there at all being two lifeless bodies which fell heavily to the forest floor.

*~*~*~*

The final bell jarred Kagome out of her stupor; she was beginning to suspect mathematics was really a foreign language rather than just numbers and theorems. She yawned and shoved her books into her bag, wanting nothing more than to go back home and take a long, hot bath.

"C'mon, Kagome-chan! Let's go!"

"Huh?" she mumbled, blinking up at her friends which surrounded her desk.

"We're going to find Hojo-kun and Natsude-kun!"

Her brow furrowed. "Who?"

"The new guy!" Before Kagome could protest, she was being pulled from her desk. "If we don't hurry, they'll leave before we get a chance to talk to him!"

"Can't you talk to this boy without me?" Kagome whined half-heartedly.

"No way! It'd look weird if we went up to him..."

"But if you're there, it's okay..."

"Because everyone knows Hojo-kun likes you."

It was the last thing she wanted to hear. "Wonderful." She knew it was useless to argue once her girlfriends had made their minds up, so she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder as they guided her into the hall. "All right, if we have to do this, then let's get it over with."

"Don't be like that, Kagome-chan!"

"Yeah, every girl in school would die for this chance!"

Kagome sighed. "Is that so?"

"Oh no, you're not upset because I said Natsude-kun reminded me of what I thought your old boyfriend would be like, are you?"

The statement caught Kagome totally off guard. "N-no...of-of course not," she stammered, even though her heart hammered wildly all the sudden. She couldn't explain the sudden nervousness blooming in her stomach, or why she suddenly _did _want to meet this mystery man who had the whole school talking. She knew it was impossible. No guy in her world could compare to Inuyasha, and seeing this boy in person would prove it once and for all. Still, she couldn't stop her hands from shaking, nor could she silence the small voice in the back of her mind.

_If I'm Kikyo's reincarnation, then isn't it possible...he may have been born again too?_

She barely registered they'd stopped in the doorway of Hojo's classroom and didn't pay much attention to the exchanged greetings and squeals of delight from her companions. She simply kept her gaze on the floor as her mind whirled. __

No, she told herself firmly. It was not possible. She refused to believe it, because the only thing which kept her going was knowing he was in his own time and she was in hers, and it was impossible to see him again. She had no choice but to move on no matter how badly her heart ached. 

"Ah, Higurashi," Hojo's voice echoed faintly amid her rushing thoughts. "You finally came back to school. I stopped by your house a few days ago-"

"You did?" came the surprised female chorus. "Kagome-chan didn't tell us about that!"

"-but your grandfather said you were still recovering, so I've been hoping you would come back to school soon."

He couldn't be in her world because it would mean he was close enough to find someday but more than likely oblivious to his previous life, just as she had been before she'd fallen down the well and into the feudal era. 

"Yeah, we were just telling her about Natsude-kun transferring into your class."

The thought alone of running into a boy who looked like him, what it would feel like to wonder if he was the one, to see familiar eyes looking at her like she was a common stranger...it was too much to bear. Moisture were already blurring her vision and tightening her throat.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." The sounds of footsteps shifting. "Natsude Akeira-san, I'd like you to meet... Hey, Higurashi? What's wrong?"

She clenched her jaw; she knew she was making a fool of herself, breaking down seemingly out of nowhere, but she couldn't stop the tears from coming. 

"Kagome-chan?"

"I'm...I'm sorry," she whispered. She'd wanted to come back to school that morning, but she saw now she wasn't ready yet. All it had taken was the mention of a new guy in school who made one of her friends think of her old boyfriend, and her she was falling apart. It proved she couldn't just go back to business as usual, not after so much had happened. "I'm not usually like this," she offered weakly, covering her face with her hands. "It's just...." she turned to run and save what little dignity she had left, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Hojo interjected solemnly, "and I've told Natsude-san about you, so I'm sure he understands-"

"Like hell I do."

Where everything else had been muffled, that one, unmistakable voice broke through. No one else in any world, in any time, could have imitated it...

"Natsude-kun!" the girls cried in a combination of shock and horror, but Kagome hardly noticed.

It seemed she wasn't the only one ignoring the people around them. "Damn it, Kagome," he continued impatiently, though there was something else-relief?-in his tone as well, "why don't you try opening your eyes before starting with all that crying stuff?"

_That's exactly what he would say..._

Hojo coughed. "Um...you mean you and Higurashi...erm...know each other?"

"Yeah, you could say that. She could tell you herself if she'd calm down and just _look at me._"

___No! _her mind screamed. _I can't look at you, because if I open my eyes and you're not him..._

"She's always like this," huffed the new guy.

Kagome could picture him crossing his arms over his chest and scowling, just like before... __

"I don't see what you're so worked up about, Kagome. It's your fault After all,"-the voice dropped, and there was a definite gruffness to it-"you're the one who left, not me."

It was as thought time had reversed. It could have been any one of the places they'd journeyed to while collecting the jewel shards at any time over the past many months. As usual, he was being an insensitive jerk, and she reacted with her typical indignation, throwing her bookbag to the floor. Her face rose, her eyes narrowed, and words exploded from her mouth before she even realized what she was doing. 

"Of course I left! What else was I supposed to do?"

"You should've talked to me first!" he shot back.

"I _did _talk to you!"

Equally angry midnight eyes glared right back at her. "'Oh yeah, by the way, I'm going home and we'll never see each other again,' doesn't count as talking!"

"Do you think I wanted to do that?" she seethed, her face burning and a fresh round of tears sliding down her cheeks. "I wanted to talk to you but...every time I thought about never seeing you again..." 

"Then what the hell are you still crying for? I'm here, aren't I?"

Any response she could have made died in throat as everything suddenly came into focus. They were still in the school building. Her girlfriends were standing off to the side with their mouths hanging open. Hojo had backed up a few steps and was staring at the two of them in confusion.

He was standing right in front of her. The clothes had changed-the boy's uniform looked surprisingly good on him, especially since he left his collar undone-and he was wearing shoes. Those were the only differences between the half-demon's appearance during the night of a new moon and the new guy her classmates called Natsude-kun. He still had the same long, somewhat unkempt blue-black hair, the same fiery eyes, and she noted the gaze held a lot more than just simple recognition.

_It's him...it's really, really him..._

"Inuyasha," she breathed. She threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest as a week's worth of heartbreak came pouring out in loud sobs.She heard the gasps of the people around them and felt him stiffen slightly. Then he relaxed, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Hmph, took you long enough." 

*~*~*~* 

Owari

*~*~*~*

A/N: Any Fushigi Yûgi fans out there? No, I'm not plugging another fanfic (although if anyone knows of a good fic with Tasuki x Miaka, email me). The reason I asked is because if any of you've seen the original television series (or even the first OVA series), the ending of this fic probably looked a little familiar. The reason is because I'm a huge fan of Inuyasha and Kagome hooking up, but when I tried to picture how they'd handle the long-term, this was the only way I though was feasible. I took into consideration how Takahashi-sensei's portrayed her characters (or my perception of them anyway), as well as the final conclusion I wanted. To make those two things mesh, I borrowed a concept from Watase-sensei. 

God bless these brilliantly creative women, and the loose copywrite laws of Japan. ^_^ As a fan, I'm eternally grateful for both. Once again, thank you all for reading. Bye bye!!!


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